


Jeepers Creepers

by Rina (rinadoll)



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Costume Parties & Masquerades, Costumes, F/F, Femslash, Fortune Telling, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Halloween Spooky Music, Halloween alcoholic drinks, Halloween parties, Halloween songs, Masks, Spooky shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-06 17:16:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16391876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinadoll/pseuds/Rina
Summary: Colleen introduces Peggy to her favorite holiday, Hallowe'en. Peggy brings her own flair.





	Jeepers Creepers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Omnicat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omnicat/gifts).



Colleen hummed as she stirred up some hot cocoa. Generally she found cold, grey and wet Saturdays to be an insult to weekends everywhere, but this one time, it worked out in her favor. Rather than brave the elements, she’d taken the day to set out some Hallowe’en decorations and curl up with _Rebecca_ , one of her favorite haunted stories. She had _Frankenstein_ for the next day, if Peg had to go into work again. 

And speak of the devil--Peg’s keys rattled the lock and the door swung open. “That smells absolutely wonderful, darling,” Peggy said, taking in a deep breath. 

“Good, because I made some extra for you, “ Colleen said with a smile as Peggy shed her wet outerwear and left her shoes to dry at the door.

“Much appreciated,” Peggy said, tipping a shot of brandy into hers. “Have we any plans tonight?”

“None,” Colleen said, settling back into the armchair, and Peggy looked relieved as she swapped her suit and stockings for a dressing gown and slippers.

Colleen sighed internally as Peggy laid her purse on the table in front of her. That tended to mean working into the late hours. But rather than pull anything out, Peg joined Colleen in their oversized chair. 

“I’m so glad to be home, darling, you have no idea.” She leaned her head against Colleen’s shoulder and Colleen pressed a warm kiss to her hair. 

“Want to tell me about it?” Colleen asked, as always, though she knew there were things Peggy couldn’t share and others she didn’t want to. She didn’t often get an affirmative answer, and tonight was no different. 

“These are new,” Peggy said, curious, poking at a honeycomb paper black cat that now sat on a low stool.

“I picked up some Hallowe’en decorations this week,” Colleen said happily. She looked around the room admiring her work, and Peggy’s eyes trailed around as well.

“I didn’t realize it was a holiday to decorate for,” Peggy said. 

“It can be,” Colleen said. “It was my favorite holiday growing up. My brother and I used to get up to the worst mischief, it was fantastic.” There was a little pang at the thought of Patrick, but nothing like it had been.

“You?” Peggy asked a little skeptically. “You’re not the troublemaking sort.”

“Everyone is on the 31st,” Colleen said. “It was the whole point of the holiday. I mean, the treats or coins were nice, when people had them, but the real fun was in seeing how far you could go.”

“Colleen O’Brien, this is an absolutely new side to you,” Peggy said, twisting a little to meet her eyes. “I enjoy it very much. Tell me more.”

Colleen laughed, delighted to surprise her girlfriend. “Oh, it was just kid stuff. We tried so hard to scare each other, and felt so brave that we went out anyway. You knew there wasn’t a ghost or a goblin or witches after you, but pretending felt so real. We’d get so excited about it, we’d pull all these pranks. Smash pumpkins on porches, soap up windows, decorate houses and trees with bathroom tissue, of all things! It was such a nice way to get back at some irritating adults, without getting into trouble.” She grinned. “Mostly. Once my cousin Bess threw rotten tomatoes at her principal’s house. She did get tanned for that. But that was rare.”

“And so children just went wild one night a year?” Peggy asked. “Almost no limits, almost no consequences.”

“Mm-hmm,” Colleen said. “That’s about the sum of it. It was so much fun, especially to be scared. I remember feeling bad for my parents, that they were too old to go out and have fun with us.” 

“I see,” Peggy said. “You’d have felt even more sorry for me, because we didn’t have it at all.”

“You missed so much,” Colleen said, shaking her head.

“Oh, I don’t know, I always quite enjoyed Guy Fawkes,” Peggy said. “We would burn things. All of us, children and adults alike, on a huge town bonfire.”

“That definitely qualifies as troublemaking and mischief,” Colleen acknowledged.

“My mother wanted me to have no part in it, so I naturally made myself indispensable to the local children,” Peggy said, fondly. “I’d buy firecrackers, and lug all the burnable material I could get away with. Some people would pull pranks, of course, but I liked the bonfire best.”

“We never had one,” Colleen said. “Too hard in the city.”

“We should go on holiday,” Peg said, squeezing her hand. “I’m certain we can find a small town with a bonfire.”

“And in the meantime, you can celebrate Hallowe’en here,” Colleen said. She leaned down and pulled a flyer from her handbag, passing it to Peggy. “Sal’s is having a masquerade next Friday night.”

Colleen felt Peggy tense slightly as she read the flyer. “It’s not just dancing,” she explained. She’d not gotten Peg into that room yet, though they danced plenty at home. “There will be all sorts of games. Apple bobbing, fortune telling, a whole party.”

“Pumpkin smashing?” Peggy asked, teasing, and Colleen poked her.

“I’m sorry to say you’ve missed out on the great Hallowe’en traditions entirely,” Colleen said. “It’s different now. But it will be fun to dress up again, I haven’t done that in almost ten years.”

“I’m not so sure I really need to begin celebrating a new holiday at this point in my life,” Peggy said, offering the flyer back to Colleen.

“You do,” she said, firmly, not accepting it. “I promise, it’s going to be a swell time.”

“There are enough scary things in the world as an adult,” Peg reminded her. “We can leave this one for the children.”

“There are, but these are safe scares, like going to see a picture,” Colleen pointed out. “Completely different.” She reached for a pen that was sticking out of Peg’s purse, ignoring Peg’s protests. “Put in for this day off, if you must, or fake your monthly so you don’t have to work late, but I very much want you to attend this with me.” 

She started to scribble the date on a blank area for Peg to take to work with her, but shrieked before she got more than a letter in. She’d shaken the pen when the first stroke didn’t show up, and then ink sprayed from the nib across the paper and all over the front of her dress. 

She stared at her ruined lap in horror and then saw Peggy’s all too innocent looking face. “What is this?” she asked flatly.

“Happy Hallowe’en?” she said perkily. “Neat prank, eh?” 

“Tell me this isn’t another broken prototype,” Colleen said, sighing. “Peg, you promised.”

“It’s meant to be invisible ink,” Peggy admitted. “But it heats up inside the pen instead of waiting for a heat source, and then it...explodes. As such. But I think I can sort it.”

“At this point, I classify it as a weapon, which is against our agreement,” Colleen said, untangling herself from her girlfriend. “And for punishment, you’re not allowed to argue with me about the masquerade. And you have to help me get this off.”

“Colleen, I solemnly swear that I will never complain about getting you undressed,” Peg said, hand at her heart. 

Undressed Colleen got, and undressed Colleen stayed.

*****

Colleen had been sewing her costume for the last hour, and had had the oddest sensation of being watched for most of it. And then these little glimpses of something out of the corner of her eye. It was maddening. She knew she was alone--she’d done the check Peggy had taught her, but she also knew their new apartment was like a fortress.

Even their old one had been well defended. Peg had brought Howard Stark over shortly after some man had tried to kill them both, and he’d installed all sorts of glowing doodads that would let them know if anyone had tried to enter. Her new bookkeeping job and pay increase meant their new one bedroom was even more well guarded. She may have to worry about Peg at work, but once they were both home, no one could hurt them.

Which made this business all the more bewildering. She felt the same shiver that she’d had on Hallowe’en as a kid--she knew she was safe, but the idea that something could happen was shadowing her. 

She whipped her head around, but again, there was nothing there. 

Shaking her head, she returned to her sewing, humming [The Ghost of Smokey Joe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbHfvvk9Q5s). It was just as likely as any other answer, at this point.

The feeling didn’t go away, though, and Peggy didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. She was usually the one more attuned to odd things happening, so Colleen decided that her imagination was getting into the holiday spirit---so to speak--and let it rest. It was just the occasional chill. 

*****  
Friday morning dawned grey and chilly and Colleen woke up in a great mood. She danced around their kitchenette, putting together eggs and coffee for them while singing [That Old Black Magic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIGupnB1OUI). Peg caught her mid-spin and let her lead them around and around their table in step with the lyrics. 

“Is your costume ready?” Colleen asked, twirling back towards the counter for cream.

“Nearly,” Peg said, as they settled at the table. “Harold in the lab has the last bit.”

Peggy had been swearing secrecy about her costume, which had initially had Colleen feeling suspicious that Peg was going to weasel her way out of going. She enjoyed Sal’s when she was there, but always seemed to feel guilty, before and after, that she never took Colleen dancing. But now it seemed that Peggy was invested, and Colleen's interest was piqued, but Peggy wouldn’t say another word. She did, however, promise to be home on time for dinner and left with a lingering kiss.

And to Colleen’s delight, she was on time, with a wardrobe bag laid over her arm. Colleen reached for it, but Peggy swatted her with a laugh. “You’ll see, soon enough,” she reminded her. 

At Peggy’s insistence, Colleen dressed first. She’d taken an old black housedress, slit it up to her thigh, and sewn a white spiderweb sprawled over the skirt. This, paired with black stockings, a cloak she’d sewn, and a pointy hat she’d created, turned her into a witch worthy of Hollywood. Her blonde curls messed with the dark effect, so she pinned it up into a poodle that fit under the hat, and added some dramatic red lipstick. She nodded at the mirror, satisfied. 

She sashayed out to give Peg an eyeful, but stopped short and squinted. Peg had taken the opportunity to get dressed but there was something odd about the ensemble. Peg spun around and she realized that she was on roller skates. But that wasn’t quite it either.

“Ta da,” Peggy said, coming to a halt. “Shall I do, darling?”

“You look wonderful,” Colleen said, still squinting, and Peggy looked pleased. Her grey dress trailed the floor, masking her skates, and the small fascinator with misty grey veil topped her powdered hair. But it wasn’t just the veil that looked misty…

“Harold finally got it right this afternoon,” Peggy said, holding out her arm. The fabric didn’t quite shimmer, but looked a little foggy or fuzzy. “It’s coated with particles that scramble at just the right frequency to make your eyes think something isn’t really fully there. Isn’t it brilliant?”

“That sounds like something out of a comic book,” Colleen said, taking the fabric in hand. When she looked hard at it, it seemed normal, but out of the corner of her eye, it was barely there. “Well done, Harold. And well done, you.” She lifted Peg’s hand to her lips and kissed it. 

“Even though ghosts are traditionally meant for Christmas, I thought it worthwhile to make an exception,” Peggy said.

“You’re going to be the hit of the party,” Colleen said, then reconsidered. “If they can fully see you?”

Peggy’s smirk told her she’d hit on a perk. “Oh, Peg,” she said, laughing despite herself. 

“Shall we?” Peg asked, holding out Colleen’s black domino mask. 

Sal’s was up near Harlem, and the trek was long but familiar. They made their way to the alley where the entrance was tucked away and, for the most part, unknown. 

Colleen looked around the bar, delighted. There were skeletons almost as tall as she was hanging from the ceiling, along with cobwebs and a few brides of Frankenstein, posed together. Honeycomb black cats, pumpkins, cauldrons, candles, and more, just like hers, decorated tables and the bar. A Glenn Miller record was playing [haunted songs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGdHjHEaeVU), and masked women were playing party games. 

“I’ll get us drinks,” Peggy said, gliding off to see Sal at the bar. Colleen walked around, greeting those she recognized despite their masks, and peeking into the dance hall. Even though there were few windows in Sal’s exterior room, there were none in the interior hall, allowing the women the freedom to snuggle up with their partners. 

She met up with Peg by the fortune teller and accepted her drink. 

“It’s a Zombie,” Peggy said, taking a sip of her own. “Special of the night, straight from Hollywood.” 

Colleen sipped it. Plenty of rum, her favorite. “Let’s explore.” She took Peg’s arm and pulled her around the room. Some women were in homemade costumes and partial masks like hers, while others were in dime store full masks. The effect was creepy, and added to the party atmosphere. There were other witches and ghosts, though none held a candle to Peg's costume, plus the usual large number of mummies, clowns, and pirates.

They settled in by the fortune teller, laughing and cheering with the girls who received their fortunes and predictions for the year, and delighting in the expressions of confusion when people only glanced their way.

Colleen offered her palm for a reading and was told she was content in her love life (true), possessed a mind that enjoyed deep work and mental tasks (true), innately disorganized (not true), and was heading towards a surprise that would change her life (hopefully in a good way). 

Peggy demurred, but did willingly spin the witch’s fortune board. “Your fortune is good, you see, for contented you will be,” Peggy read aloud. “Well, that’s a relief.”

Colleen laughed. “The question is, will your contentment begin while mine continues?” Her arm was low around Peg’s hips and she squeezed. 

Peg pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I think we’ve got that wrapped up,” she said. A faint blush stained her cheeks and Colleen beamed at her. The resulting kiss got broken up by their friend Alice, who dragged them over to the Howl-a-Whirl stunts game. 

Peg succeeded at tying knots one handed and put them all to shame with her spinning, but Colleen called quits after landing on her second animal sounds dare. They shifted over to apple snapping before calling it a night. 

The trip home was quiet, with Colleen yawning and daydreaming about being able to snuggle in against Peg and doze. It would be so nice on late nights like this.

When they reached their building, she could give in and rest her hand on Peg’s lower back, guiding her through the doors and towards their apartment. Peg unlocked the door with fingerprint and key, and Colleen gave a sigh of relief. 

“Home,” she said, yawning and dropping her handbag onto the counter. “Meet you on the couch?”

Colleen had less makeup on, so she was dressed for bed first, and readied their brushes and pins. That itchy feeling of being watched was back, but she chalked it up to the Hallowe’en spirit.

Peggy settled in front of Colleen, and they began their routine of brushing out and rerolling each other’s sets. Colleen ran the brush through Peg’s curls slowly, detangling and shaking out some of the remaining powder. She loved getting the chance to play with her hair, and she hadn’t had much of a chance lately. She threw in a little scalp rub as well, a little gift for a great night out.

But that itchy feeling remained. She looked over her shoulder again, but this time there was something there. “Peg!” she yelped, grabbing her arm. 

Peggy whirled around, instantly ready to fight. She got a good look at the shadow in the corner and relaxed. “It worked!” she said, pleased.

Colleen released her tight grip, which she realized had been probably a thoughtless response anyway, and frowned. “What worked, Peg?” 

“I may have snuck a little treat in here for you,” Peg said. “A little Hallowe’en gift.” She retrieved a silver orb from the bottom shelf of their bookcase and held it out. “Harold and I have been working on it, and it didn’t seem to be successful. It’s meant to distract to allow us to move freely--it gives off a sense to keep people’s attention on it.” She pressed a button on the orb and a vaguely human shaped light popped out and up. “And then it does this. But it wasn’t doing that, and I just couldn’t get it right.”

“You got it right,” Colleen said, shaking her head. “Too right. I couldn’t understand why I felt like someone was in the apartment with me! For days, Peg!”

“Oh, darling, please don’t be too mad,” Peg said, stepping close. “It was meant as a treat, it really was. I thought that if I could fix was Harold kept missing, you would be the perfect person to test it on. A safe scare, just as you liked them.”

Peggy knew her well. It had been fun to be a little scared, and the light was a neat trick. And honestly, she was too tired to protest overly much. “I accept it in the spirit of a gift,” she said, and Peggy gave her a kiss. “But we’re still going to be revisiting the idea of which prototypes in process come home and which stay in the office, got it?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Peggy said, smirking a little.

“And I’ve had a big scare tonight,” Colleen continued, a little smile tugging at her lips. “I need some comfort. Away from the glowing orb, preferably.”

“Naturally, darling. I have just the thing,” Peggy said, stowing the orb in her bag and leading Colleen to their bedroom, where Colleen felt very comforted indeed.


End file.
